The classic sandwich combo of bacon, lettuce, and tomato gets an upgrade! BLTs with Garlic Aioli are even more delicious than the original.
One of my all-time, favorite sandwiches is the humble BLT.
Bologna, lentils, and tuna? No, not that one.
I mean a simple Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato. To me it's a perfect thing: the crunch of the toast (always white bread for a BLT, in my opinion), crisp, fresh greens, juicy slices of tomato, smoky, salty bacon. And a little swipe of mayo.
It's a sandwich that evokes meals at cozy diners, grandparents' houses, weekend lunches, summertime. (Wow, that's a lot to load on one poor, little sandwich!)
It's also a sandwich that's easy to adapt and change up! Add cheese (CBLT), add fresh basil (BBLT), leave out all the veggies and load on extra bacon (XB). If you add turkey, however, you are heading into Club Sandwich territory — and that's a whole different thing.
A quick history of the BLT
The BLT sandwich was created at the beginning of the twentieth century, around the same time as the Club Sandwich. It grew in popularity after WWII, and the use of the abbreviation "BLT" became widespread in the latter half of the century.
This nickname was likely picked up from the restaurants and diners where it was served, thanks to shorthand scribbles and shouts of "BLT!" from harried waitstaff to scrambling kitchens.
Why you'll love this sandwich
This BLT stays true to the classic interpretation, while also offering a little upgrade — in the form of garlic aioli. This rich, homemade mayonnaise makes a BLT even more incredible.
Roasted garlic gives a beautiful flavor to the aioli, and nicely complements the smoky bacon and fresh veggies on the sandwich.
🔪 How to make this recipe
Step 1: Roast the garlic
Slice the top off of a whole head of garlic. Drizzle it with oil, wrap it in foil, and roast it for about 45 minutes. The cloves will be soft and the flavor mellow. Squeeze the cloves from the skins.
Step 2: Make the garlic aioli
Blend in a food processor the roasted garlic, a little fresh garlic, egg yolks, vinegar, and spices. When the mixture is blended and smooth, add the oil in a thin stream while the processor is running. This will pull everything together in an emulsion.
Step 3: The tomatoes and bread
Slice the tomatoes into thick slices. Toast the bread slices.
Step 4: Assemble the sandwiches
Spread the toast with garlic aioli. Layer on the lettuce, tomato slices, bacon slices, and salt and pepper. Add a little more aioli if you'd like, then add the last pieces of toast. Cut the sandwiches in half, add sandwich picks, and serve!
Notes:
- When planning this recipe, allow for the time it will take for the garlic to roast. This step can be done in advance: store the roasted cloves in a sealed container in the fridge.
- The garlic aioli can be made in advance as well, and stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- This homemade aioli is made with raw egg yolks. Eating sauces and foods made with raw or under-cooked eggs is not recommended for pregnant women, the elderly, children under the age of 4, or individuals with compromised immune systems.
Sink your teeth into this savory BLT with Garlic Aioli! This recipe is below. And as long as you have sandwiches on the brain, here are a few more you should try, including another BLT:
💬 What do you think of this BLT upgrade? How did your aioli turn out? Leave a comment and a star rating below!
BLTs with Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
For the garlic aioli:
- 1 head plus 1 small clove of garlic, divided
- ⅔ cup plus two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch black pepper
Remaining ingredients:
- 2 large tomatoes, washed
- 8 slices thick, sourdough or white artisan bread
- 1 small head Green leaf lettuce, washed and spun dry
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 16 pieces bacon, freshly cooked and drained
- 8 Sandwich picks or toothpicks
Instructions
Make the roasted garlic:
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the inch or two off of the top of a whole head of garlic. This will expose the cloves within their paper shells. If a few cloves remain hidden, use the knife to cut into the tops of them.
- Place a square of foil onto a baking sheet or in an aluminum pie plate. Put the head of garlic in the center of the foil. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the top of the head, covering each clove.
- Pull the edges of the foil up around the garlic to enclose it. Place the sheet or pie plate in the oven and roast the garlic for 45 minutes. The cloves should be browned and soft.
- Remove the garlic from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once it is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of the papery skins. Discard the skins.
- Hold the cloves aside, or refrigerate them in a sealed container until ready to make the aioli.
Make the aioli:
- Place the remaining small, fresh clove of garlic, the roasted garlic, egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor.
- Blend the ingredients together until they are smooth.
- With the processor running, slowly add in the remaining olive oil in a stream to blend it into the other ingredients. (If you can't add the oil with the machine running, add it a little at a time, blending between additions.)
- The mixture should be a smooth and uniform emulsion. If it is too thick, add a little water and then blend again. If the emulsion breaks, stop adding oil and blend until the aioli is smooth again.
Assemble the sandwiches:
- Slice the tomatoes into ½ inch thick slices. Use a paper towel to blot the slices dry.
- Toast the slices of bread to your liking: for BLTs I like the bread toasted lightly, but go for darker if that's what you prefer.
- Lay out 4 toast slices. Spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon of garlic aioli.
- Place pieces of lettuce on each slice of bread. Top the lettuce with the sliced tomato, 2 slices per sandwich. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste) over the tomatoes. Top the tomatoes with 4 slices of bacon on each sandwich. (The bacon slices can be cut in half to make them fit better if you'd like.)
- If desired, spread more aioli on the remaining slices of toast. Top each sandwich with toast slices, aioli side down.
- Use a sharp knife to slice each sandwich in half, and skewer each half with sandwich picks. Place the sandwiches on individual plates and serve them immediately.
- This recipe makes about 1 cup total of garlic aioli. which can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Notes
- Allow time for the garlic to roast. This step can be done in advance: store the roasted cloves in a sealed container in the fridge.
- The garlic aioli can be made in advance as well, and stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- This homemade aioli is made with raw egg yolks. Eating sauces and foods made with raw or under-cooked eggs is not recommended for pregnant women, elderly, children under the age of 4, or individuals with compromised immune systems.
Tell me what you think—comment below!